The Unexpected Rebuilding: Alex Ferguson's Last Gift to the Red Devils

(Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

Unknown to Manchester United fans, the club may be about to undergo one of the most serious and pivotal rebuilding periods of its time.

Many in the press and fan world have had mixed opinions about the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, stating that it was either a deft move of the part of Ferguson to remove a troubled asset from the club, or a foolish old man's last orders.

In terms of he evidence in Fergie's favor, I'd say the wiley Scot knows exactly what he's doing. But, to the possible disappointment of United fans, I don't believe that the goal here is for short term success.

The truth of the matter is that Sir Alex Ferguson has sold his highest scoring player for a very large sum of a money to be used in a market already scrubbed bare. Ferguson himself has said that he wouldn't be making any gigantic, exorbitant spending sprees, unlike the "White House" he's sold his former protege to. He's far too smart for that.

No, what Sir Alex Ferguson understands about his club is that through certain massive spending sprees in the recent past, the club is in a massive amount of debt, with aging professionals who are only a few years off from the almost ancient nature of Chelsea's current lineup.

Soon Giggs, Scholes, and Neville will all be gone and the last vestiges of the class of '99 will have vanished with them. So for all those fans expecting big massive transfers to immediately kick United back into it for a fourth consecutive league championship, you may be in for a disappointment.

Instead of big name signings, Ferguson is buying players like Valencia, Obertran, and even Michael Owen when most fans were clamouring for the likes of David Villa. What's the possible reasoning behind this?

Sustainability.

Sir Alex Ferguson may feel young at heart, but at 67, he's just resolutely lost a Champions League final, and although performing fantastically domestically has come to grips with the fact that he may have made some cruicial errors with his team.

Last year he bought Dimitar Berbatov for a staggering 30 million euros, only to receive nine league goals against the likes of West Brom and Bolton. Carlos Tevez, for all his hard work and Argentinian flair simply didn't make the grade when it came to outright goalscroing. Fergie couldn't even really figure out what to do with Wayne Rooney.

So in what are most certainly his final years at the club, Ferguson understands that he must put it through one more period of rebuilding, much like the painful one that followed the 2004 season.

This upcoming season even has some of the familiar flavors of that pear-shaped time. A rumored move for Sergio Aguero is almost too coincidental considering his partnership with the United flop of Diego Forlan (who turned out to be one hell of a striker).

Considering the track record of Argentinians in the Premier League, I wouldn't expect much if Aguero were to don the Mancucian red. Anderson may even be the new Jose Kleberson; his performances speak for themselves. Nani could be Juan Sebastian Veron, Michael Owen could be Alan Smith, Obertran...well you understand.

But if such a period were to come about and be characterized by a lack of success, it wouldn't at all spell a long-term decline to United.

In fact, I believe that Sir Alex may just try and force the club through a difficult rebuilding now rather than later to avoid the club he loves so much ever being in the situation of today's Chelsea, who are massive competitors but are ageing so fast that only a miraculous influx of money could keep their talent afloat.

So with all these young and untested signings entering the picture, Manchester United fans shouldn't worry about the long term success of the club. While they may struggle for a season or two following Ronaldo's loss, it can almost certainly be assured that Sir Alex would never leave the club he loves so much without one last parting gift.

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